Neah Bay tug aids stranded vessel

The Neah Bay rescue tug paid for by the state to guard the Lower 48’s northwesternmost corner from oil spills scrambled to the aid of a crippled fishing vessel early today, the state Ecology Department just announced.

The Marine Hunter tug operated by Crowley was dispatched about 12:30 a.m. to aid the Papado II, a Port Angeles-based fishing vessel that saw its engine conk out after seawater flooded the engine room.

At the time, the fishing vessel was about 27 miles southwest of Cape Flattery, facing light southerly winds of about 15 knots and patches of dense fog — not an immediate emergency, but you don’t want big vessels floating around at night with no propulsion. The Hunter towed the Papado back to Port Angeles.

According to Ecology, rescue tugs stationed at Neah Bay at state expense have stood by or assisted 41 ships that either were disabled or had trouble with steering or propulsion.

The idea of the tug, of course, is to keep the troubled ships from drifting onto rocks and spilling oil. More here.